Thierry Henry says the most important thing for young strikers is to have a good relationship with the midfielders behind them.

Henry was answering questions at a media briefing in Kenya, as part of his visit to a coaching clinic in Ruaraka.

The Arsenal legend gave his thoughts on the key things to keep in mind for any aspiring strikers in the area, saying, “You need to have a personal relationship with the midfielder who is passing to you all the time.

“It is your responsibility to look for him, not his. He is the most important person in your football life. Look for him outside the pitch and buy him a meal, watch a movie with him, show him that you value his support. That chemistry will eventually be visible on the pitch.”

The team from the Invincible era certainly seemed to have great chemistry.

You always felt that they knew where every other player was, and it showed in every incisive counter-attack and beautiful passing play.

Thierry Henry was undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the world at the time, but he was made even better by the fact he had Robert Pires, Dennis Bergkamp, Freddie Ljungberg and Patrick Vieira around him.

Bergkamp, in particular, drew a lot of respect from Henry, as he still names him as one of the greatest players of all time when asked the question today.

He explained that the Dutchman’s strengths were that he always did what the game needed him to do, whether that was score, pass, or hold the ball.

Arguably you need that kind of player in your team if you’re going to be able to adapt to whatever scenario you’re faced with.

Özil is performing a similar kind of role in the current team, as he showed against Newcastle on Saturday. He picked up the ball from defenders, created twice as many chances as anybody else, and he scored the goal that won the game.

That’s the kind of midfielder I think Henry is saying you want on your side. Then all you have to do is finish the chances off.